The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the long-gestating rumors that Billy Dee Williams will return to that galaxy far, far away and will reprise his role of Lando Calrissian for next year’s Star Wars: Episode IX!

Williams made his debut as the gambling scoundrel in Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, reprising in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, and in countless other Star Wars shows like Star Wars Rebels and games like Star Wars: Jedi Knight II – Jedi Outcast. He even voiced the character in various Robot Chicken and Family Guy episodes dedicated solely to Star Wars as well as The LEGO Movie. Donald Glover stepped into the role earlier this year to play a younger Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

The Last Jedi has annoyed me more and more as time has gone on, but even that said I know I can't not see IX within the first week of it coming out. I mean shit, I'm 40 years invested into this thing now. I might as well see it through to the end, even if I do find myself practically begging for Lucas himself to show up with Ewoks and Gungans in tow to save the end and epilogue of this epic story.

The Last Jedi has annoyed me more and more as time has gone on, but even that said I know I can't not see IX within the first week of it coming out. I mean shit, I'm 40 years invested into this thing now. I might as well see it through to the end, even if I do find myself practically begging for Lucas himself to show up with Ewoks and Gungans in tow to save the end and epilogue of this epic story.

"I gotta watch myself because the Star Wars PD is going to come get me, but it is incredible," Lourd, who plays Lieutenant Connix in the latest Star Wars trilogy, tells ET. "I've read the script and I've been on set. I was on set for, like, three weeks back in September, and it is going to be magical."

"I can't say much more, but I'm so excited about it and so grateful to be a part of it," she adds. "Star Wars is my heart. I love it."

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"You know, they lay down with their ugly wives in front of their ugly children and just look at their loser lives and then they look at me and say, "I CAN'T PROCESS IT!" Well, no, and you never will. Stop trying. Just sit back and enjoy the show .... You know?"

ThrowAnother9’ also discussed multiple impressions from the set of the film, which is apparently the first time he’s ever been on a Star Wars set.

He refused to spoil anything, given that jobs would be on the line if he did, but he was willing to share that two co-workers that are longtime fans of the franchise and Legends material – one of whom enjoyed The Last Jedi, and one who decidedly did not – were both immensely satisfied with the footage that was coming together. As in, “tears of joy” satisfied.

That’s some high praise. He also noted that this praise didn’t mean that fans would like absolutely everything in the film, but it certainly seems like Lucasfilm is happy with the film.

Outside of internal reactions, ThrowAnother9 explained that the scale of the film is incredibly large, even by Star Wars standards, and fans will be surprised. Filming is currently focused on the third act of the film, which only makes sense with how J. J. Abrams prefers to film his movies in sequence as much as possible.

A lot is being filmed in a short period of time, which makes the technical accomplishments on the film all the more impressive. There’s also an abundance of behind-the-scenes content being produced simultaneously during the production, so it’s possible that we could see documentaries as extensive as Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey and The Director and the Jedi hit the Blu-Ray. One last thing he stated is that the Millennium Falcon is back, but that goes without saying.

ThrowAnother9’ also discussed multiple impressions from the set of the film, which is apparently the first time he’s ever been on a Star Wars set.

He refused to spoil anything, given that jobs would be on the line if he did, but he was willing to share that two co-workers that are longtime fans of the franchise and Legends material – one of whom enjoyed The Last Jedi, and one who decidedly did not – were both immensely satisfied with the footage that was coming together. As in, “tears of joy” satisfied.

That’s some high praise. He also noted that this praise didn’t mean that fans would like absolutely everything in the film, but it certainly seems like Lucasfilm is happy with the film.

Outside of internal reactions, ThrowAnother9 explained that the scale of the film is incredibly large, even by Star Wars standards, and fans will be surprised. Filming is currently focused on the third act of the film, which only makes sense with how J. J. Abrams prefers to film his movies in sequence as much as possible.

A lot is being filmed in a short period of time, which makes the technical accomplishments on the film all the more impressive. There’s also an abundance of behind-the-scenes content being produced simultaneously during the production, so it’s possible that we could see documentaries as extensive as Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey and The Director and the Jedi hit the Blu-Ray. One last thing he stated is that the Millennium Falcon is back, but that goes without saying.

This kind of thing leaks out of every Star Wars film.

They said it about the prequels.

They said it about the sequels.

They even said TLJ was the best film since Empire and it was mostly a flaming piece of crap for a lot of Star Wars fans.